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Five Civilized Tribes: Quick Facts

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Facts

Date c. 1866 - present

Photos

Thematic map of the Indian Frontier in 1841, highlighting in pink the regions west of the Mississippi River where various Native American tribes were relocated. Labeled tribes include Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Shawnee, Delaware, Osage, Sauk and Fox, Ottawa, and others, with surrounding territories and neighboring states also marked.
Map of the southeastern United States showing the historical locations of various Indigenous peoples, with tribal names such as Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, Natchez, Catawba, and Calusa labeled across the region. A red outline marks the general boundary of the Southeast cultural area, extending from eastern Texas and Louisiana through the Gulf Coast, up to the Atlantic coast and into parts of the Carolinas and Virginia. Major bodies of water like the Gulf of Mexico and the Atla
Faded front page of the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper from March 6, 1828, featuring English and Cherokee syllabary text in multiple columns under a phoenix emblem.
Portrait of Andrew Jackson by Thomas Sully, showing Jackson with gray hair, a serious expression, and wearing a dark coat over a white shirt against a neutral background.
Infographic map showing the routes of the Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of five major Native American nations from the southeastern United States to Indian Territory in the 1830s, highlighting 9 states crossed, 5,045 miles traveled, key routes and camps, and major events.
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